Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to reconstructive oral surgery due to facial trauma. More specifically, the present invention relates to a resin MMF/reimplantation device (e.g., an intermaxillary fixation device) that used in restoration and healing of maxillo-mandibular injuries such as temporary fixation of teeth and/or jaw segments.
Background Information
Sometimes a person fractures his or her jaw or mandible. Jaw fractures often occur because of interpersonal trauma or fights, motor vehicle accidents and sporting injuries or falls. Typically, jaw fractures require treatment, and surgery is often recommended. There are two main systems that are in use today for immobilizing a person's jaw. The first main system uses metal arch bars (e.g., Erich arch bars that are made of fully annealed stainless steel) which are typically to temporarily attach to the patient's teeth by circumdental wires, while the second main system uses maxillomandibular fixation (MMF) screws.
In order to reduce and stabilize jaw fractures (intermaxillary fixation) with arch bars, the patient's teeth are wired together using arch bars to immobilize the jaw. In particular, two or more arch bars are attached to the patient's teeth by circumdental wires. The arch bars are cut to the appropriate lengths and are secured by the circumdental wires which are looped tightly around the teeth. The upper and lower jaws are drawn together by tightening inter-arch wires that are looped around hooks carried on each arch bar.
In order to stabilize jaw fractures (intermaxillary fixation) with MMF screws, the patient's teeth are wired together using MMF screws that are screwed into patient to immobilize the jaw. The upper and lower jaws are drawn together by tightening wires that are pulled through holes in MMF screws and then tightened.
This conventional wiring procedures using arch bars or MMF screws requires high levels of advanced medical and dental training. Moreover, these two procedures are potentially very traumatic to the patient. Both arch bars and MMF screws are very irritating to patient's natural intraoral soft tissue and can cause damage and infection. During placement of conventional arch bars, the patient's gums are typically penetrated or pierced in an iatrogenic manner during wiring with circumdental wires. During placement of MMF screws, bore holes are created in the jaw using an osteotome that can result in tooth root damage. As circumdental wires are sharp and easily penetrate surgical gloves, their use places the surgeon at risk of blood born pathogens such as HIV and hepatitis. Additionally, conventional procedures that utilize circumdental wires or MMF screws are also very time consuming for both the wiring procedure and the removal procedure. Also removal of the arch bars can be very painful for the patient.
In view of the problems in these conventional wiring procedures, alternative procedures have been developed in which the arch bars are directly bonded to the patient's teeth without using circumdental wiring. However, these directly bonded arch bars do not provide for a simplified and efficient manner in which the arch bars may be secured or stabilized to the teeth prior to the adhesive drying. This may prevent the arch bars from staying stationary during the adhesive process. Additionally, many of these arch bars are manufactured using a metal mesh, in which the application of the metal mesh proves to be difficult to achieve high bonding strength to the patient's teeth.
One example, an arch bar that is directly bonded to the patient's teeth without using circumdental wiring is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,904,188. This patent discloses an arch bar that includes a plurality of ligature hooks and a metallic mesh layer on the back surface of the arch bar. The metallic mesh layer forms an adhesive bonding attachment structure for attaching the arch bar to the tooth enamel. Other examples of arch bars that are directly bonded to the patient's teeth without using circumdental wiring are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,087,202 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,184,955.